Highly cooperative fluorescence switching of self-assembled squaraine dye at tunable threshold temperatures using thermosensitive nanovesicles for optical sensing and imaging.

ABSTRACT: Thermosensitive fluorescent dyes can convert thermal signals into optical signals as a molecular nanoprobe. These nanoprobes are playing an increasingly important part in optical temperature sensing and imaging at the nano- and microscale. However, the ability of a fluorescent dye itself has sensitivity and accuracy limitations. Here we present a molecular strategy based on self-assembly to overcome such limitations. We found that thermosensitive nanovesicles composed of lipids and a unique fluorescent dye exhibit fluorescence switching characteristics at a threshold temperature. The switch is rapid and reversible and has a high signal to background ratio (>60), and is also highly sensitive to temperature (10-22%/°C) around the threshold value. Furthermore, the threshold temperature at whi

SUBMITTER: Sou K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6884458 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature